Electric switch



June- 11, 1929. STEWMAYER 1,716,987

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Shem 1 June 11, 1929. sTElNMAYER 1,716,987

ELECTRIC SWITCH ile g- 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Zh/ C%a/ YQQQQB Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,716,987 PATENT OFFICE.)

ALWIN G. STEINMAYER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN; ASSIG-NOR T LINE MATERIAL I COMPANY, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed August 13, 1925. Serial No. 50,024.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in electric switches and refers more particularly to a disconnecting switch adapted to be incorporated within a high voltage transmission line to facilitate I the disruption of a section of the line for the purpose of. repairing or replacement.

The switch' is generally mounted upon a tower, pole or other su port and is usually controlled with two similar units by a single device located at a remote point.

Switches of this character are designed to carry considerable current and as a result necessitate the provision of a quick make and break to eliminate destructive arcing forces. It is also highly desirable that the gap between the switch parts when in open position be as wide as possible to prevent the jumpingof the current thereacross.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an improved switch construction of the character described in which the movable member has a relatively high speed of break to eliminate as much as possible the destructive arcing forces. j

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved switch construction wherein the movable member may be swung through approximately ninety degrees or more which is contrasted with the switches of this type now on the market in which the movable member swings through but approximately seventy degrees.

Switches of the character described are generally located in the open and are thus exposed to the elements and in winter time sleet and ice frequently accumulate on the contacts to thus make opening movement diflicult. These switches are also designed to be inoperative for relatively long periods of time as a result of which there is a normal tendency of the movable parts to freeze and this invention has as another object the provision of an improved switch construction wherein the opening movement of the switch is facilitated to break any tendency of the parts to hold together. -Anytendency of the parts to freeze to prevent or restrain opening movement is overcome by providing a loosely pivoted member on the free end of the switch movable member which provides a contact portion having a pivotal movement in the opening operation to thus break any tendency of the parts to freeze together.

It-is a furtherobject of this invention to provide an improved sleet hood in which a laminated spring contact is fixed to provide a good electrical connection with the end of the switch'member projectable into the o0 hood in closing. 1 I

A still furtherobject of this invention re-' sides in the provision of an improved switch construction of the character described in which the switch member proper is formed in a plurality of parts hingedly connected and adapted to be in approxnnate longitudinal alignment when closed and to move at an angle to each other in opening to thus produce a relatively quick opening movement.

With the above and other objects in view which willappear as the description proceeds, my invention'residesin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts'substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in'which:

- Figure 1 is a side view of a switch unit constructed in accordance with my invention, parts thereof being broken away and in section in order to more clearly illustrate structural details; I

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view illustrating the manner of connecting the parts of the switch member and of producing the relative movement between the parts;

F1gure 3 is a view looking at my improved switch construction on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail view of the, sleet hood or housing and illustrating a slightly modified manner of forming the electrical connection between the movable switch member and the stationary cont-act, said view. bei ng partly in section and partly in elevation.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the two pedestals 6 are mounted by being bolted or being otherwise secured, as at 7. The

base or supports 8 of suitable insulators 9 and 10, preferably of the petticoat type, are bolted or otherwise secured to the-pedestals, as at 11'. As clearly illustrated, the insulators are spaced and when the switch unit is mounted inthe vertical they arepreferably directed upwardl .at anangle to provide the proper electrical clearance.

Cemented or otherwise fixed on the outer ends of. the insulators 9 and 10 are heads or caps 12 and 13, respectively, and to the cap 12 is bolted or otherwise secured an -angle bracket 14 on which is mounted the stationary contact terminal 15 of the switch, the bracket, 14 being directed at an angle to position the terminal in a proximate parallel relationship with the tiase 5. In this form of,my invention the contact terminal is preferably in the form of a housing or sleet hood 16 in which one or more spring contacts 17 are fixed to receive the contact end-portion 18 ofthe.movableswitch member 19, tobe later described, the transmission line 20 being connected with the stationary contact terminal and the clips by a socket terminal21 bolted or otherwise fixed to the terminal lug 22 of the contact 15.

'The other insulator 10 has a hinge bracket or arm 23 fixed to its head 13 which is preferably directed at an angle to the axis of the insulator, as illustrated. The movable switch member 19 is preferably formed in two parts'or sections 24 and 25 which overlap at their adjacent ends and are connected by a pivot 26, the lower end of the part or section 25 being pivoted, as at 27, to' the bracket or arm. 23 in approximate alignment with the contact terminal 15. As best illustrated in Figure 2, the inner or lower end of the switch member section 24 is extended angularly beyond, its pivot 26, as at 28,

and has pivotally connected therewith eccentrically with respect to pivot 26, as at .29, the upper or inner end of a link or arm 30, the lower or outer end of which is pivotally connected, as at 31, with the outer same direction on its ipivot 26 at a relatively end 32 of the bracket or arm 23 which extends beyond the pivot 27, as illustrated in Figure 1; Thelink or lever 30 beingmountedas described intersects or crosses the movable switch member section 25 between its pivots 23 and 26 so that a movement of the sectlon in one direction produces a cone spending movement of the section 24 in the greater speed, the di erence in speed being produced by the differences in. the distances between the axes of the pivots 26 and-29, and 27 and 31. v

I Opening and closing movements are imv operating shaft 34 suitablyjournaled in.

bearings 35 fixed to the mounting base 5 and adapted to be rotated from an operating lever, not shown, connected with a rod 36, the upper end of which is' pivotally connected, as at 37, with a lever 38 also fixed to the shaft. A mounting member 39 is pivotally connected, as at 40, with the free end of the actuating member and carries the support 41 of an actuating insulator 42, preferably of the petticoat type and hav ng a cap 43 cemented or otherwise fixed to its outer end and carrying an angular bracket '44 between thearms or lugs 45 of which the switch member is pivotally secured by the pivot 26 connecting the parts 24 and 25 thereof. The insulator 42 is also inclined at an angleto the horizontal .to provide the necessary electrical clearance, as 315, well known to those skilled in. the art.

preferably formed of two or more spaced members to give added I1gldl ty andthe members comprising theouter-most section The sections of the switch membersnare spring 47 having one end secured to a pin 48 connecting the sides of the switch section 24 and its other. end connected, as at 49, with the extended jenid of a terminal member or clamp 50 which is electrically connected with the contact. The clamp 50 afi'ords means for connecting one end of a lead 51 with thecontact 18, the other end of the lead being electrically connected with a line 52 by being confined, between a socket terminal 53 and a terminal lug54 extended from the bracket arm 23, the lead 51 being flexible and insuring against di-electr'ic loss and the necessity of providing electrical connections between the switch member sections, although the switch member when closed assistsin'carrying aportion of the load. i

Assuming the switch to be in its closed .positionillustrated in full lines in Figure 1, an upward movement of the operating rod 36, as illustrated in dotted lines,-

drawing by reason of the direct outward.

\ push on-the pivot 26 and the upward stress on the pivot 29 transmitted thereto through the link 30 which is compressed against the solid pivot 31.- If the contact blade 18 has become frozen between the spring contacts.

its movement on its pivot being greater than' 17, the pivotal movement of the blade on'its pivot 46 makes thebreaking thereof easy so that no undue stress need be applied to the operating rod for the opening movement.

During the opening movement the switch member section 25 moves onits pivot 27 in proportion to the movement of the actuating member, but the-section 24 thereof, instead of remaining in longitudinal alignment with the section 25, is swung on its pivot 26 in the same direction, but at a greater speed,

the movement of the section 25 on its pivot as the pivots26 and 29 are closer together than the pivots 27 and 31. The switch memher is thus given a compound or doublemovement to produce a' movement.

As is usual in switches of this construction, arcing horns 55 are provided to break the circuit and thus relieve the contacts 17 and 18 of the destructive arcing that takes place at the breaking of a high voltage circuit. One horn 55 is preferably fixed to the sleet hood 16 by a clamp device 56 and-the other is adjustably secured to the switch very quick opening 'member section 24 by'a clamp device 57, the

horns being so shaped and positioned as, to be under tension prior to their separation to thus cause the break to occur with a quick, snappy action. j i

In Figure 1, the switch is shown by dotted lines in partly open. position and infull open position the switch section 24 is ina position of approximately ninety degrees with respect to its fully closed position, which Is very desirable in switches of this character. This has not been accomplished satisfactorily in prior devices, as to produce such movement it has been necessary to move the operating member through too great a distance.

. In closing, the operatio ofthe switch is reverse to that just described and the contact member 18 which is held in its dotted llne position illustrated in'Figurc 1 strikes the bottom portioir 58 of the sleet hood which extends beyond the iopening of the hood and is so arranged that the contact rides into the sleet hood between the spring contacts.

In Figure 4, a slightly modified type of electric connection between the movable switchand its contact terminal is illustrated in which the spring clip contacts 17 are eliminated and-in their place a contact 59, preferably of laminated spring copper or other material, is secured therein with one end clamped in the inner portion of the sleet hood between a flange or projection 60 therein and the rear Wall of the hood, the

other end of the contact being curved over the flange 60 to its dotted line osition illustrated. The knife blade portlon 18 of the movable switch member has its end in the shape illustrated in the drawing which is biased with respect to its length with its under nose portion 61 curved and provided with a rounded knob or projection 62. In closing the grooved portion 61 rides on the extended part 58 of the sleet hood engaging its biased cut end with the end of the spring contact 59 rocking thereunder on its curved portion until the knob 62 engages the projection 58, when the end, is raised 'to move the contact to its full line position and maintain the same under tension. The laminated contact portion 59 is removable from the sleet hood and is readily detachably se-- cured in position by a set screw or other clamping device 63.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention of this character appertains that I have provide a generally improved and efficient switch'construction which is especially adapted for.

handling high tension current and one in which any number of units may be operated simultaneously by a single operating rod 34.. I claim: v f 1. In combination, a switch member in cluding two sections having their adjacent ends pivotally connected,. means pivotally mounting the outer end of one switch member section, 'a contact terminal with which the outer end of the ,other switch member section is engageable,means for imparting opening force to the switch member, said force being applied at the point of pivotal connection of the sections, andmeans whereby the outer section travels faster'than the inner section during opening movement of the switch member.

2. In combination, a switch member ineluding two sections having their adjacent ends pivotally connected, means pivotally mounting the outer end of'one switch member section, a contact terminal with which the outer end of the other switch member see tion is engageable, means for imparting opening force to the switch member, said force being applied atthe point of pivotal connection of the sections, whereby the leverage at the initial openingmovement is I with the first-mentioned switch member section, a link, means pivotally connecting the link with the second-mentioned switch member section to one'side of the common plvot,

and means pivotally mounting the other end of said link to the other side of the pivotal mounting of the first switch member section, whereby movement of the actuating member to open the switch causes the first switch member section to swing on its pivot carrying' With'it the second switch member section and at the same time thesecond switch member sectionis swungon its 'pivotal conn'ect'ion with the other switch member section in the same direction throughthe medium of said link.

1 4. In combination, a two-part movable switch member, an operating member, a single p-ivot connecting the adjacent .ends of the switch member parts and the operating member with the switch member, a contact terminal with which one end of the switchmember is engageable, a pivotal mounting for'the'other end of the switch member, a lever and means pivotally connecting one end of the lever with the first mentioned switch part and means connecting the other end thereof with the pivotal mounting.

5. In a switch construction, a contact terminal includin a sleet hood, a spring contact member 0 approximately U-shape having one end thereof secured within the hood, a movable switch member, a contact portion movably mounted on the switch member and engageable with the other endof said U-shaped spring contact in closing, and

means whereby the contact portion is moved with respect to the movable switch member to move the U-shaped spring contact under tension and thus provide a good electrical connection between the switch member and contact.

6. In a switch construction, a contact ter minal including a sleet hood, a spring contact member of approximately U-shape having one end thereof secured within the hood, a movable switch member, a contactportion on the switch member engageable with the other end of said U-shaped spring contact in closing to move the same under tension and thus provide a good electrical connection between the switch member and contact, means pivotally connecting the contact por tion of the switch member with the switch member proper, and means on said contact portion adapted to place said spring contact under tenslon as the switch member is closed.

7. i[n combination, a switch member including two sections, a single pivot connect .ing the adjacent ends of the two sections,

means pivotally mounting the outer end of one sect1on,-a. contact terminal wlth wh1ch the outer end of the other section is engageable, theswltch sectlons belng arranged end to end and in the same plane when the switch is closed, means connected with the first-mentioned section for opening the switch, and means becoming active upon opening movement of the switch to cause the second-mentioned section to assume a position at an angle to the first section.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALNVIN STEIN MAYER. 

